"A-A hundred... years?" Stella was stunned for a moment, then crossed her arms sulkily. "Honestly, if you don't want to answer, just say so. Don't make jokes like that, okay?"
Stella turned her face away, looking displeased.
She muttered under her breath, "Stingy. Can't you just teach me?"
Noah didn't quite know how to explain it.
The combat experience he had gained from thousands of adventurers—if calculated by the time required for a single person to accumulate it naturally—would indeed have taken over a century to master.
Of course, for something like swordsmanship, the one who had practiced longer wasn't necessarily stronger.
For example, even with all his stolen experience, Noah couldn't compete in pure technique with the "Yamato Gentian," Gojouno Kaguya from the Astrea Familia.
The two of them existed in different dimensions of martial arts.
At least, for now.
"My swordsmanship is a chaotic mess. It is not the right formal style for you, but it should be suitable for helping you accumulate combat experience," Noah said.
He knew he wasn't at a level where he could teach formal stances; doing so would only harm a talented girl's foundations.
"So you are willing to practice swordsmanship with me every day?" Stella's expression changed in a second.
The pouty look from a moment ago was instantly replaced by one full of bright anticipation.
'Every day?'
Noah wanted to say that practicing whenever they had free time would be fine, but before he could speak, the girl had already made a unilateral decision.
"Alright, it is a deal! Starting today, we will spar every day. And I don't need you to go easy on me. Don't look down on me, I will definitely surpass you!"
The Princess declared her resolve with confidence. She held out her hand and beckoned to Noah.
"Let's continue, then. The day is still young."
Noah thought for a moment. This was a fair trade. Exchanging his swordsmanship experience for Stella's Blazer knowledge would allow them to support each other.
Such a relationship was suitable and equal.
"Then, it is a deal," Noah promised.
The two took up their wooden swords, created some distance, and faced each other once more. The sparring resumed.
During this time, no matter how many times Stella was disarmed and defeated, she didn't show any discouragement.
Compared to the pain of being burned by her own magic, which she had often endured in the past, the bruises from a wooden sword were nothing to her.
She wasn't just a genius blessed by fate; she had the grit to match.
The more powerful an Ability, the harder it is to control.
Stella was a genius of an extraordinary caliber; her raw power was so massive that if she used it forcefully, she risked burning herself from the inside out.
However, having watched her father, the King, worry about the nation's declining strength since she was a child, Stella understood the importance of Mage-Knights to a country.
Since she possessed such rare talent, how could she not use her strength to support and protect the people she cared about?
For that reason, she could endure anything, even being burned or coming close to death.
As long as she could become stronger. Preferably stronger than anyone else.
Clang!
Noah once again knocked the wooden sword from Stella's hand. The girl fell to the ground with a heavy thud, her beautiful training dress already covered in dirt.
Her breathing was ragged. Her fingers, stiff from gripping the sword for too long, were trembling.
"Let's call it a day," Noah suggested, seeing that Stella could no longer mount any counterattacks and could only parry his strikes.
Although the girl was physically exhausted, her eyes remained resolute.
She nodded and, disregarding her royal image, fell backward onto the grass, her body spread out like a starfish.
Noah used Appraisal on her and found that she was drained of stamina and nursing a few minor cuts.
If left untreated, they might become inflamed.
He crouched down, extended his palm toward Stella, and guided the water elements in the air into her body.
With the precise coordination of his Truth Seeker ability, he began to repair her torn muscle fibers.
The human body is composed mostly of water; as long as one could manipulate elements at a molecular level, healing minor injuries was not difficult.
In this world, most water mages had mastered some form of basic healing techniques. It was just that the effectiveness varied significantly depending on their skill level.
This healing method required both the caster and the injured person to remain in a stable, resting state.
Compared to instantaneous healing magic in Orario, this could at best be considered accelerated physical therapy.
But to an ordinary person, it was a miracle.
Stella felt her wounds rapidly closing and her deep fatigue washing away.
She couldn't help but marvel, "A Natural Causality type who can manipulate all elements is amazing. It is like you are omnipotent."
Noah shook his head with a small smile.
"Even gods aren't omnipotent," he said. "The god I believe in once gave a divine oracle stating just that. Even the gods are only omniscient, not omnipotent."
"Huh? Noah, you're a believer? You have faith in a god? That seems pretty rare in this day and age."
"Ah... I suppose so."
Because of the existence of Blazers in this modern world, the interpretation of many legends differed greatly from common mythology.
Not many people in this society believed in actual gods.
After all, in the eyes of ordinary citizens, high-ranking Blazers were the gods walking the earth.
"So, what kind of god do you believe in?"
Seeing the girl's interest, Noah spoke frankly without any reservations.
"The Goddess of Fire and the Forge, Hephaestus."
"Ah, I know her. The goddess from Greek mythology, right?"
"It is a little different where I am from, but that goddess, like you, also has fiery red hair and ruby eyes."
Hearing the boy mention her and his goddess in the same breath, the girl suddenly felt a little shy.
But through the day's events, her understanding of the boy had deepened.
"Well then, starting this afternoon, I will teach you how to manifest your own Device. A Blazer's true power can only be unleashed with their Device. I am looking forward to seeing what yours will look like."
"Oh..."
'A Device, huh.'
As expected, the biggest hurdle still remained.
...
After lunch and a short break, Noah followed Stella to a facility different from where they had practiced swordsmanship that morning.
First of all, it was indoors.
And it had been heavily fireproofed.
After appraising the walls, Noah discovered that this testing room had been rebuilt at least four times, as the ages of the building materials didn't match at all.
The newest reinforced steel had only been installed less than half a year ago. In other words, roughly six months ago, half of this facility had been blown to pieces.
As for who the culprit was, Noah didn't need to guess.
"Okay, sorry to keep you waiting!"
After Noah had waited patiently for ten minutes, the princess finally emerged from the locker room.
Having showered during the break, she had changed into a fresh set of training clothes, and her hairstyle had changed as well.
Instead of her usual twin tails, her long crimson hair was now tied up in a high ponytail.
Seeing how a simple change in hairstyle altered her image, Noah was momentarily lost in a daze, staring at her for a few seconds.
"Wh-What's wrong? Do I look strange like this?"
Being stared at by him made Stella suddenly feel a wave of self-consciousness.
'Strange? There was no way she looked strange. If anything, she was strikingly beautiful!'
"No, I just think you look refreshing."
"R-Refreshing?"
"You look different from your usual self. Your neck is more prominent, and it makes you look taller and more slender."
Being observed in such detail made Stella blush, and she fidgeted nervously.
Flustered, she quickly changed the subject back to the business at hand.
"Ahem! Alright, I am going to bring out my Device now. Observe it closely and see if the process gives you any inspiration."
Noah nodded. "Got it."
He stared at the girl, simultaneously activating both Truth Seeker and Weaver.
A blue light flickered deep in his dark pupils.
If one looked closely, they would discover a geometric pattern resembling the face of a clock ticking within them.
Even Noah himself hadn't noticed this visual change.
He used Weaver, which could observe souls, and Truth Seeker, which could appraise them, at the exact same time.
In his eyes, the color of Stella's soul shifted.
It wasn't just the color, the shape itself transformed into roaring flames.
Enveloped within that fire was not a human figure, but a winged beast.
The "name" of that creature was one he was familiar with.
It was an entity that mirrored the heroic tales of Orario. It was the pinnacle of mythological beasts—a Dragon.
The girl took a deep breath.
She raised her hand into the empty air before her and chanted.
"Aid me, Lævateinn... the Empress Dragon's Sinful Sword!"
In that instant, a violent vortex of fire erupted from the floor.
The girl reached her bare hand into the scorching heat and grasped the hilt of a royal sword being forged within the flames.
As she pulled the Device named "Lævateinn" from the fire, the flames split apart with a single swing, and a brilliantly shining greatsword materialized in her hands.
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